The Bond

Back in the summer, I got a great deal on a knitting machine. I had seen this in craft stores and just turned my nose up thinking “Oh, please! That’s not real knitting!” and never gave it another glance. Then I heard an episode of Stash and Burn about “The Bond” and all the great FO’s Jenny and Nicole had from using this. So I decided that maybe it wasn’t a knitting cop-out after all, and that it might be just the thing to get my small attention span through some bigger projects. I mean, who hasn’t just about fallen asleep slogging along those seemingly endless rows of stockinette on projects larger than your basic dishrag?

I am one of a few women at my church making blankets, scarves, and other warm items for First Fruits, a charity that is helping out several families in Eastern Kentucky. Most of the ladies are crocheters, and their projects go by pretty quickly. Knitting, on the other hand, can be slow-going. So, a couple of weeks ago I set up my machine and started knitting long strips of stockinette that, hopefully, will make it into a few nice afghans for this project.


Here are my problems, though:

• The machine is LOUD. My husband kept turning up the TV and was trying to be patient, but I finally had to start waiting until commercial breaks to work.


• It doesn’t do so well with textured yarn. I was using a navy boucle and it was very hard to see/fix dropped stitches.


• On Row 250 (I needed to get to 329), the yarn snapped and the whole piece came off the machine. I couldn’t see the live stitches to save them on a straight needle, so I’m thinking about hemming that end -- not sure if that'll work.


• I am the Queen of Unfinished Projects. Ask me about writing, soapmaking, weaving, cross-stitch, reading . . .So, I’m not certain that I’ll ever get these strips sewn together.

Maybe, if I post a blog about this machine project, I’ll trick myself into some accountability.

(Maybe not)

Mmmmm . . . cupcakes!

Happy Birthday, Lori! I made this cupcake pincushion for a seamstress friend who's birthday is today. I've made a few of these now from a pattern I found on Blah, Blah, Blahhhg - she's done some great projects.

Knitaway 2007

The last weekend in August was our first Paralegals with Needles Knitaway. Liana, Carla, and I stayed in a cute little cabin on a 100-acre farm in Cumberland Furnace, Tennessee, The Cabin at Still Waters Farm. We spent two nights and most of two days knitting until our fingers were worn out. We had a great time. Our weekend project was the baby kimono from Mason Dixon Knitting - that's when I started the pink one I posted under "Baby Stuff". We've decided that our Knitaway must become at least an annual event - maybe more frequent if schedules permit.


(my favorite "room")

Such a peaceful weekend.

Baby stuff

Baby stuff is great fun!

Bibs

Sweaters and booties

Toys

Moderne Baby Blanket

I made this version of the Moderne Baby I maket, inspired by the one in Mason Dixon Knitting, for my great-nephew. It was a lot of fun to do. I tend to get bored with one color, so this was the perfect project for me. When I got tired of one color, I just switched to another.

Doggies

Hello Dingus!

(a/k/a Sammy)

and here's Rosco, all tuckered out!

Socks for the fam

After making baby afghan after baby afghan and really burning out on knitting, a friend encouraged me to try smaller projects. I watched in awe as she worked on double-pointed needles (a concept I just could not wrap my little mind around). But, after she cheered me on a little and showed me a few basics, I was off and running (dpn-ing and magic-looping I should say). Anyway, I've made a few slipper socks here and there along the way . . .

Camo-purses

And I whipped up a few purses for my girls . . .

Kiddos

Girl #1 Girl #2